FELL A TREE BURN A HOUSE KILL A SON
Zetnij Drzewo Spal Dom Zabij Syna
"Know yourselves – be infertile and let the earth be silent after ye"
In a world where myth intertwines with philosophy and divine narrative takes the form of parable, a new cosmogony is born — raw, beautiful, and riddled with questions. This animated tale of creation follows a God who, upon beholding His own reflection in His creation, is struck by doubt. It is a tribute to Peter Wessel Zapffe’s essay The Last Messiah, an antinatalist meditation on existence, a Buddhist lament wrapped in the structure of a Christian sermon. With haunting visuals and a minimalist aesthetic, the film explores the unbearable weight of consciousness and the tragic comedy of self-awareness. Rather than offering answers, it leaves the viewer with a deep, gnawing unease — and a silence in which to find their own meaning. This is not a story of salvation, but of recognition: of what we are, and what it may mean to be made in the image of something that cannot bear to look.
Director’s statement
Cut down a tree, burn down a house, kill a son—a grim, philosophical tale about the nature of divine creation and the role of humans in nature. Who are we and where are we headed? Do we possess more of God's perfect work within us, or are we merely parasites born out of His greatest mistake?
Country of production
Poland
Target audience
16+
Animation technique
Drawing, 3D (CGI) only for rotoscopy, mostly Procreate/Procreate Dreams
Estimated budget
41 000 EUR
Funding secured
Polish Film Institute (PISF); Fumi Studio (Co-producer)
Stage of the project
Production
Looking for
Festival representative
